ConocoPhillips (COP): Today's Featured Basic Materials Winner

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ConocoPhillips ( COP) pushed the Basic Materials sector higher today making it today's featured basic materials winner. The sector as a whole closed the day up 0.4%. By the end of trading, ConocoPhillips rose $0.83 (1.2%) to $68.39 on average volume. Throughout the day, 5,931,732 shares of ConocoPhillips exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 5,146,500 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $67.68-$68.47 after having opened the day at $67.94 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $67.56. Other companies within the Basic Materials sector that increased today were: Golden Star Resources ( GSS), up 11.5%, Vista Gold Corporation ( VGZ), up 9.6%, Houston American Energy Corporation ( HUSA), up 9.5% and Double Eagle Petroleum Company ( DBLE), up 8.8%.

ConocoPhillips explores for, develops, and produces crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, liquefied natural gas, and natural gas liquids worldwide. ConocoPhillips has a market cap of $82.7 billion and is part of the energy industry. Shares are down 4.4% year to date as of the close of trading on Monday. Currently there are 4 analysts that rate ConocoPhillips a buy, 3 analysts rate it a sell, and 6 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates ConocoPhillips as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its increase in net income, attractive valuation levels, expanding profit margins, good cash flow from operations and increase in stock price during the past year. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity.